If a judgment directs a party to perform a specific act, and he fails to comply within the time specified, the court may direct the act to be done by the sheriff or some other person appointed by the court, at the cost of the disobedient party, and with the same effect as if done by the party.
Art. 2504.Specific Performance; Court Directing Performance By Third Party
Book IV. Execution of Judgments · Title III. Judgments Other Than Money Judgments · Chapter 1. Judgments Other Than Money Judgments · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 2504 lets a court, when a party ordered to perform a specific act fails to do so within the time set, have the sheriff or another appointed person perform the act at the disobedient party's expense, treating that substitute performance as if the party had done it himself.
Full Text of Art. 2504
Plain-English Summary
Article 2504 offers a different answer to the same basic problem the distringas articles address: a party under court order to do something specific has not done it. Rather than pressuring the disobedient party through seizure of property or contempt, Article 2504 lets the court get the act done another way.
If the party ordered to perform a specific act misses the deadline the judgment set, the court can direct the sheriff, or another person the court appoints, to perform that act instead. The disobedient party bears the cost of having someone else step in, and the substitute performance counts, for every legal purpose, the same as if the disobedient party had done the act himself.
This tool works alongside, not instead of, the distringas and contempt remedies in Articles 2502 and 2503. A judgment creditor facing a stalled specific-performance order is not limited to pressuring compliance out of the disobedient party; the court can route around that party and have the act performed by someone else, on that party's account, when substitute performance is a workable way to get the job done -- signing a document, executing a transfer, or completing similarly definable work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a party ordered to do something under a Louisiana judgment refuses?
The court can have the sheriff, or another person it appoints, perform the act instead, at the disobedient party's expense.
Who bears the cost of substitute performance under Article 2504?
The disobedient party -- the one who failed to comply with the judgment within the time it specified.
Does substitute performance count the same as if the original party did it?
Yes. Article 2504 treats performance by the sheriff or an appointed person as having the same effect as if the disobedient party had done the act himself.
How does Article 2504 differ from the distringas remedy in Articles 2502 and 2503?
Distringas pressures the disobedient party into compliance by seizing his property; Article 2504 instead has someone else perform the act, sidestepping the need for the disobedient party's cooperation.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: specific performance under a Louisiana judgmentArticle 2504 Louisianacourt orders a third party to perform an actenforcing a judgment to perform an actsheriff performs act at disobedient party's expense